CAG CRA S.A.R Club

[sosumi]

This is directly quoted from the Information Commissioner's Office here:

Dear Sir or Madam

Please send me the information which I am entitled to under the Section 7(1) of the Data Protection Act 1998.

If you need further information from me, or a fee, please let me know as soon as possible.

If you do not normally handle these requests for your organisation, please pass this letter to your Data protection officer or another appropriate official.

Yours faithfully

 

Could it be that simple?

[sosumi]

This is from the jargon buster on Data Sharing and Protection, from the Ministry of Justice:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/data_sharing_jargon_buster.pdf

Personal data/information

Information relating to a living individual, from which that individual can be identified, or which can be used to identify a living individual in conjunction with other information held, (or likely to be held) by a data controller. Personal data/information includes expressions of opinions about that person, or indications of intent towards them.

Principles

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires that data controllers process personal data in accordance with eight Principles. These require that personal data are:

• fairly and lawfully processed;

• processed for limited purposes;

• adequate, relevant and not excessive;

• accurate;

• not kept longer than necessary;

• processed in accordance with individuals' rights;

• kept secure;

• not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection.

Processing

The processing of personal data includes obtaining, recording, holding or carrying out any operation on the data.

Subject access

The right of data subjects to receive a copy of the information held about them, a description of why their information is being processed, and details of anyone who may see a copy of their data, to whom it may

be transferred, and the logic involved in any automated decisions taken on the basis of that data.

[sosumi]

... and here's the Data Protection Act Directgov webpage:

The Data Protection Act : Directgov - Rights and responsibilities

The Data Protection Act

 

The Data Protection Act regulates how your personal information is used and protects you from misuse of your personal details.

 

It provides a common-sense set of rules which prohibit the misuse of your personal information without stopping it being used for legitimate or beneficial purposes.

The details of the Data Protection Act are quite complex, but at the heart of it are eight common-sense rules known as the Data Protection Principles.

These require personal information to be:

• fairly and lawfully processed;
  
• processed for limited purposes;
  
• adequate, relevant and not excessive;
  
• accurate;
  
• not kept longer than necessary;
  
• processed in accordance with your rights;
  
• kept secure;
  
• not transferred abroad without adequate protection.

 

Organisations using personal information ('data controllers') must comply with these Principles.

The Act provides stronger protection for sensitive information about your ethnic origins, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health, sexual life and any criminal history.

 

Getting access to your information

 

The Act, with some exceptions, gives you the right to find out what information is held about you by organisations. This is known as the 'right of subject access'. On written request, you are entitled to be supplied with a copy of all the information an organisations holds about you.

 

[Curlyben]

Hmm not sure about that letter sosumi.

I was thinking more along these lines.

Data Protection Act 1998

Subject Access Request

Dear Sir/Madam

DATA SUBJECT: **Your Name and Address**

 

Please supply me with a complete breakdown and copies of all information held with your organisation.

 

Also details for every organisation that has accessed my data for the period which you hold records and any supporting documentation and notes.

 

If there is specific information which you require in order to satisfy yourself as to my identity, please let me know by return. However, please note that the above address is the one which I normally use.

 

Please consider this a request under section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998. I enclose the statutory fee of £10. You have 40 days in which to comply.

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter.

I would appreciate your due diligence.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

That should cover it.

Also you'll have to sign this one, but do it in such a way as to make photoshop specials impossible.

Normally I sign on a printed line like this; #_________*__________#

[sosumi]

Like this CB?:

Data Protection Act 1998

Subject Access Request

 

Date: 3-9-2007

Dear Sir/Madam

DATA SUBJECT:

Sosumi, Sosumi’s Address

(Maiden Name – Miss Sosumi)

 

 

Please supply me with a complete breakdown and copies of all information held with your organisation.

 

Also details for every organisation that has accessed my data for the period which you hold records and any supporting documentation and notes.

 

If there is specific information which you require in order to satisfy yourself as to my identity, please let me know by return. However, please note that the above address is the one which I normally use.

 

Please consider this a request under section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998. I enclose the statutory fee of £10. You have 40 days in which to comply.

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter.

 

I would appreciate your due diligence.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

 

________________

 

Sosumi

- Thought I'd add my maiden name, as they already have it. What about hubby's name, as they put him down on my credit report, ie. we're both obviously associated to each other.. that's why I'm wondering?

Yours is much better. I was drafting mine with ref. to the 8 data protection principles! I suspect that might be for later though?

[lolly371]

do we need to send one to all three of the main CRA's, or are we just focusing on the one we are signed up with?

[sosumi]

Has anybody seen this?:

CreditExpert Affiliate Programme

CreditExpert affiliate programme

 

Calling all websites! Make money by joining the CreditExpert affiliate programme. Whether you have a large or small site, your users can benefit from the CreditExpert product while at the same time generating you revenue. We provide you with a wide variety of creative; all you need is the traffic.

We will pay you for every FREE trial member that you generate, regardless if they cancel at the end of their trial. Since launching in 2004, we’ve gained thousands of members through our affiliate programme with many of our publishers generating serious money every week.

What’s more, credit-reporting services in the US are proven to be the best affiliate programmes. Here in the UK we have a great range of partners, from major portals to specialist financial sites.

Some key questions:

• What’s in it for you?
  
• For every ‘free trial member’ you generate CreditExpert will pay you a commission, regardless of any cancellations

• What sites does CreditExpert work well on?
  
• Financial, advice, loans, mortgage, and credit card sites
  
• Property and car sites
  
• Rewards and incentive sites
  
• Shopping sites
  
• Information and advice sites

• What types of people want this product?
  
• People who are applying for financial products
  
• People who are concerned about their credit history
  
• People who want to check that their information is correct
  
• People who want to protect themselves from identity fraud - the UK’s fastest growing crime

• Where can you target these members?
  
• Generic websites - CreditExpert appeals to anyone who is concerned about their credit status
  
• Before an application - are your users thinking about credit cards, mortgages or loans? If so they will be credit checked. Don’t let them be denied due to incorrect information, get them to check their credit report for free
  
• After an application - have your users been refused credit? Let them check their credit report for free

• Remember:
  
• CreditExpert complements other financial products as it can play an important step in helping a customer get a loan, mortgage or credit card. Anyone with a valid credit card and UK address can join

So what are you waiting for? Click on the below link and enjoy the benefits of promoting CreditExpert

- So that'll be why the advert's everywhere then

[sosumi]

do we need to send one to all three of the main CRA's, or are we just focusing on the one we are signed up with?

I'm eventually going to send one to all 3 (and the Land Registry!), but am going to have to space it out because of the cost Lolly. And Experian - one of their chief executives is going to host a 'focus group' at a big swish conference for debt collectors in September, about how they can access all our information.

Strikes me they're touting for business from consumers one way, providing it to debt collectors the other. So yes, I have to spend this tenner as wisely as I can, and I think they should be first on the list.

[Curlyben]

Lolly, seeing as there are only 3 CRA's and Call Credit are small and relativly unused I was thinking SARing the 2 E's, so Experian and Equifax.

[lolly371]

i cant remember where i saw it, but also somebody posted a link to the annual debt collection award ceremony! these people sit around in posh outfits, eating a fancy dinner, congratulating each other about how many results they have had over the past year! the best part about it is, one of the panel is the chairman of the CCCS! anybody else feeling a little sickened?

[Brassed off]

Sosumi

 

Just read this bit from the Affiliate Programme info you posted in post #32

For every ‘free trial member’ you generate CreditExpert will pay you a commission, regardless of any cancellations

Think I will ask them for my "commission" then;) - I initially recommended CAGers to sign up for their credit report as it was FREE

 

[lolly371]

here it is:

http://www.etelligent.co.uk/etelligent/published/credittoday/siteFiles/resources/DCA_award_4p_6_web.pdf

[sosumi]

Sosumi

 

Just read this bit from the Affiliate Programme info you posted in post #32

 

For every ‘free trial member’ you generate CreditExpert will pay you a commission, regardless of any cancellations

 

Think I will ask them for my "commission" then;) - I initially recommended CAGers to sign up for their credit report as it was FREE

 

Yes BO, but why wouldn't you? You thought what most of us thought! xx

[sosumi]

Sorry, CB, didn't mean to duplicate your post, was going to add - but then decided against it.

I've got my Credit Report here. It lists 'Financial Associations' - obviously it's my hubby, so if I ask for a SAR with the above letter they'll enclose everything in the Credit Report and then everything else as well? I just don't want to miss anything out!

[linz2011]

subbing with great interest fab link thanks CB:)

[ODC]

It looks like our fiends (sic) at Experian are going to very busy dealing with SARS over the next couple of weeks. Just think if every member of CAG applied at once for what we are LEGALLY entitled to do. They may not have time to pass on all the information to all their mates in the DCAs

[sosumi]

Okay, I'm going to send this. I've changed it a bit, as I can refer to my printed CRF, but essentially it's CB's letter:

Post doesn't leave here until late afternoon, so if anyone sees any mistakes etc, please let me know?

Data Protection Act 1998

Subject Access Request

 

Date: 3-9-2007

Dear Sir/Madam

DATA SUBJECT:

Sosumi, Sosumi’s Address

 

Please supply me with a complete breakdown and copies of all information held with your organisation.

 

Also details for every organisation that has accessed my data for the period which you hold records and any supporting documentation and notes.

 

Please consider this a request under section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998. I enclose the statutory fee of £10. You have 40 days in which to comply.

 

I previously subscribed to CreditExpert, and also requested a hard copy of my credit file from you, which you provided dated 23rd August 2007, ref: ********/**. You should therefore have all the details you require from me, but please let me know by return if you require any other specific information.

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter.

 

I would appreciate your due diligence.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

_____________ (signature above line as per CB's suggestion)

 

Sosumi

[ODC]

Do you think you should put in a paragraph regarding any telephone calls they may have made or received regarding your data. Just a thought

[Curlyben]

Sosumi, you want to sign through the printed line to ensure they can't photoshop special it later on

[oneofakind]

subscribing. I smell a BIG can of worms opening...

 

[djdave]

I've got a grave and genuine concern with the lack of diligence shown by CRAs when blindly accepting the word of a DCA.

 

I believe that a DCA should be required to provide proof, in the form of a signed executed agreement, that a debt exists before the CRA would even entertain the thought of recording a default on a person's file.

 

When an ordinary pleb like me complains to the CRA about an incorrect entry, we're told to speak to the DCA - who of course are as much use as a bottle of factor 4 suncream on the surface of Mercury.

 

It's a very one-sided arrangement, and it's starting to come to light just how cosy the relationship between the CRAs and DCAs really is.

[lolly371]

so have i got this right? the CRA's help the DCAs by passing on our information, and the debt counsellors have been patting the DCAs on the back for a job well done! its no wonder the DCAs have been running riot, the people who are supposed to be helping us, the consumers, are actually helping them, the debt collectors, in the background. we havent stood a chance!!!

[hsbcfiddled]

subscribing...If you wrote a book or made a film about the activities of these CRA's and DCA's- people would think Star Trek was more believable.

[djdave]

so have i got this right?

Nail on the head, sadly.

[Curlyben]

lolly, there is NO evidence that the CRA's actively pass our information to the DCA's, but it is known that the DCA's trawl the CRA's records.